A&K Earth Movers has been clearing land and installing infrastructure for sewage, water and utilities at a construction site that will house 22 apartments at the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe colony.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
A groundbreaking ceremony conducted by the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe officially launched last week a new housing project featuring 22 apartments of various dimensions on Paiute Drive.
Tribal Chairwoman Cathi Williams-Tuni welcomed stakeholders and tribal members to the ceremony at the FPST colony for what she calls a long-awaited housing project.
“Our Fallon Paiute Shoshone housing project has funded for the infrastructure of 22 new rental units for eligible households at or below the 50% of the area’s median income,” Williams-Tuni said.
According to the chairwoman, the multi-family units will range from one to four-bedrooms.
“This will be a benefit for our tribal community and our tribe members as we move in a new phase of accommodating tribal members,” Williams-Tuni said.
U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said in 2024 nine affordable housing developments will be funded by $9.4 million from a Nevada-specific fund. She said the funding will be used to build 22 new homes and a community center for working families who reside on the FPST colony and to renovate 85 apartments for Fallon’s seniors and 95 homes for middle-class families. Cortez Masto said funding will also construct 20 new homes and a park for members of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal land in Wadsworth.
During her presentation, Williams-Tuni introduced the FPST Business Council, and Jennifer Johns, now serving as acting housing director who introduced her members. Williams-Tuni said this is an exciting time for the local tribe and especially with a project that will accommodate families in need.
Williams-Tuni said volunteers on the housing committee worked with her to make this project a success.
Members of the community and the FPST saw the preliminary work in action as A&K Earth Movers, a local general engineering contractor and subcontractor, was working on clearing and grading the land and installing the infrastructure for sewage, water and utilities.
Abby Day, project manager at Travois who was hired by the FPST as the project’s affordable housing consultant, said she’s worked with the tribe on the housing project for more than two years.
“The FPST leaders and officials have worked diligently on Sagebrush for over two years,” Day said. “They’ve tackled receiving and understanding three different, unfamiliar funding sources, thoroughly considered the needs of their community and each aspect of the project’s design, held countless meetings and attended several conferences and trainings. All in an effort to bring new affordable homes to their community.”
Day said the project is entering the next phase of construction with two experienced general contractors, A&K and Pavilion Construction.
Additionally, Day said FPST partnered with several third-party groups including the Nevada Housing Division, Nevada Housing Coalition, Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments and the Federal Home Loan Banks of San Francisco and Des Moines, Iowa.
“They worked closely with Nathan James and the team at CFA, a Bowman Company, and Elsa Garcia at Travois Design and Construction Services for the engineering and design of what will be 22 brand-new, beautiful homes, a community building and a playground,” Day added.
Day also thanked them for their support of the Sagebrush project.
While A&K is working on the project’s horizontal infrastructure, Pavilion Construction will be building the complex.
“We appreciate the opportunity to work for you,” said Pavilion’s project manager Adam Mannelin. “We pride ourselves on relationships and working with various tribes across the West.”
Mannelin said A&K delivered some “beautiful pads for the vertical construction.” He said the project will provide an opportunity to create a wonderful, thriving community for local residents. Jake Zamora, project manager for A&K, also said it’s been a pleasure working with the tribe.
Williams-Tuni said the Fallon project is similar to the projects being constructed by the Washoe Tribe in Carson City.
“We are very proud of where we’re going with this project,” she touted.